I have always thought that one man of tolerable abilities may work great changes, if he first forms a good plan, and makes the execution of that same plan his sole study and business. – Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was an American writer, printer, statesman, philosopher and Founding Father. Among other things. A man blessed with a variety of talents, he was our ambassador to France during the American Revolution and was America’s first postmaster general. He was born in Boston, received the couple of years of education his family could afford but was otherwise self-educated, seeing to it that he got the most out of the talents he was issued at birth. Franklin remains a great example of a life well lived.
…one man of tolerable abilities may work great changes
We can all do something well. This is one of the earliest lessons we can remember learning, both at school and where we played sports. Something else we learned is we don’t have to be the best ever, either. We merely have to get the most out of the talents we have. Franklin is a great example of this because History does not regard Franklin as one of the best pure scientists ever, but he was inquisitive and persistent and made liberal use of the good sense he was born with and he has earned his place as a great inventor.
…if he first forms a good plan, and makes the execution of that same plan his sole study and business
We must have a plan for our lives. We all have 24-hours every day, the only commodity we all have in equal measure. What we get out of our lives is dependant on the work we put into those 24 hours.
What our plan is of no consequence. My plan is different than yours and yours is different than your neighbors. This is as it should be because we are all different. What is important is that our plan comes from deep inside and that we make executing that plan a top priority.
Not all of us will live down the ages like Benjamin Franklin, but all of us can get the most out of our talents like he did. Each of us can have a plan for our life and we can all execute that plan. When we do that we will be an example of a life well-lived for others.
The Thought for the Day runs regularly. Quotes are from Gaylon’s private stock.
